Published: Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 / Updated: Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 10:33 AM
Fort Mill 11: Our countdown to 2011’s top 11 newsmakers
No. 1 Mother Nature
FORT MILL TOWNSHIP Fort Mill weathered many a storm in 2011.
Beginning in early April, three powerful storms swept through the region in the span of just over one month. The first, on April 4, knocked out power to more than 256,000 homes, including hundreds in our area alone.
It was the second storm that caused the most long-term damage – and difficulty to residents. On April 9, a second severe storm brought hail ranging in size from pebbles to softballs. Wind gusts of up to 60 to 70 mph and driving rain uprooted large trees and downed power poles and power lines.
The hail caused massive damage to roofs and vehicles around town. Springs Farm suffered the loss of 10 acres of strawberries that were torn to shreds by the hail. In the following weeks, insurance companies set up in parking lots around the township, offering convenient drive-through estimates of their customer’s automobile damage due to the hail. Allstate Insurance Company had 18 units set up around town and State Farm had four drive-through locations set up in the Lowe’s Home Improvement parking lot. At most of these, residents were able to leave with a check in hand, ready to use for car repairs.
The South Carolina Insurance News Service estimates the property damage caused by hail in South Carolina was more than $45 million. Automobile damage was a large portion of that number, but roof repairs were also needed at many township homes and businesses. Even through December, the sounds and sights of roof repair work were common around the township. But that was not all.
On May 11, another storm caused damage to township homes, mostly in the Sutton Road area. Straight line winds acted similarly to small tornados, snapping trees and, in several cases, bring trees down on top of homes and fences. More than 6,000 claims were filed state wide due to that storm, according to the S.C. Insurance News Service, and property damage was estimated at more than $13 million.
The silver lining to the month-long dark cloud could perhaps be found in the town budget. Building permits for the town were $98,000 over budget as of August, due to permit applications for roof repair work. The permit costs $50. Typically, the town processes two requests per month. After the storms, the town received more than 1,300 permit requests.
Area roofing and automobile repair companies also saw a boost to business, and unemployment offices reported seeing less construction workers stopping by to ask for unemployment insurance.
Just for good measure, perhaps, Mother Earth gave us one other jolting reminder of her power this year – an earthquake. Local residents were shaken to realize that the vibrations beneath their feet the afternoon of Aug. 11 was a rare East Coast quake that was felt from New England, down through the Carolinas. No injuries or serious damage was reported, but it was an event discussed around town for days afterward.
No. 2: Sgt. T.J. Dudley
FORT MILL TOWNSHIP U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. T.J. Dudley wasn’t born here and he moved away before his scheduled graduation from Fort Mill High School, but he was clearly a part of this town. And it seems a part of this town was always with him, too.
The ties to Fort Mill and Tega Cay were evident in the days and weeks that followed the news that Dudley, 29, was killed July 7 during a mission in Afghanistan, where he was serving as crew chief with the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 – The Black Knights.
It was his sixth deployment, and he was two weeks from coming home to his wife of nearly seven years, Mary, and their three children – Taylor, 13; Thomas Carter, 5; and Jenna Robyn, almost 2.
Dudley and his family had moved to Tega Cay when he was a boy. Inspired by his time in Fort Mill High School’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and drill team, he enlisted in the Marines at 18 – “a natural choice,” said 1st Sgt. Steven Sprague, who helped start the JROTC program at FMHS. Those remarks were made at the standing room-only funeral held at the school auditorium.
“I am blessed and honored T.J. let me be his friend,” Sprague said. “It’s not goodbye. It’s see you later. Semper Fi.”
“Semper Fi” is short for “Semper Fidelis” – the Marine Corps motto, Latin for “always faithful.”
Dudley, who married his high school sweetheart, Mary, was known for his selflessness. Coming home one night from a trip to Parris Island, Dudley and his fellow JROTC and drill team members came upon a multi-car accident. He was the first to say they needed to stop and help, which is what they did.
While deployed, Dudley was working long distance with Mary to complete his adoption of Taylor, who was always known as his daughter even though there was paperwork standing in the way of making it official.
"T.J. never called Taylor his stepdaughter," Mary Dudley said. "He's loved her since she was born, and their connection to one another was instant. He took on the role of being her dad, and she accepted it and embraced it."
Sgt. Dudley’s untimely death makes completing the adoption difficult, but his family still hopes to make it happen. If you want to sign the online petition supporting the effort, go to thepetitionsite.com and search for "T.J. Dudley."
Nicole Smith of The Herald contributed
No. 3: CHS wins Fort Mill hospital competition
The most recent chapter in the more than six year-long saga that is the Fort Mill Hospital selection process occurred in 2011. In September, DHEC, the state agency charged with reviewing applicants, chose Carolinas HealthCare System over Piedmont Medical Center and Presbyterian Healthcare to build a hospital in Fort Mill.
The selection process has been long and contentious and despite this most recent decision, isn’t expected to be over for quite some time – possibly not even in 2012.
Piedmont Medical Center and Presbyterian Healthcare have appealed the decision to the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, challenging state regulators’ decision. It will be the second time the court has considered the matter.
If Carolinas HealthCare continues to prevail, they plan to build a $77.5 million, 64-bed hospital at the intersection of Sutton Road and I-77. The healthcare organization already serves more than 50 percent of residents in northern York County.
No. 4: Fort Mill’s new Veterans Park
FORT MILL Several years of planning, fundraising and overall relentless work culminated in a ribbon cutting ceremony in August for Fort Mill’s Veterans Park, built at the corner of Main and North White streets. It features a statue of a World War I Doughboy as well as benches, a star with granite veneer arms and flags representing POWs, South Carolina, the United States and each branch of the military – all to celebrate those who have or currently suit up to defend America.
The park is a main feature of the town’s downtown revitalization efforts. Earlier, across the street, the town opened Millstone Park, which pays homage to the town’s heritage.
Town leaders said they were especially proud to open the park in time to honor local World War II veterans. The youngest veterans of that defining war are in their 80s and most are in their 90s.
The park has a walk of honor composed of bricks, or pavers. Each brick is embossed with the name of those who have served or are serving in the U.S. military.
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Fort Mill to help celebrate the official opening of the park.
Mayor Danny Funderburk was master of ceremonies for the event, which included a 21-gun salute from rile, cannon and mortar fire. The barrages came from Revolutionary War, Civil War and World War II reenactors camped on the hill above Millstone Park.
Among those in the crowd were Tom Eubanks, nephew of Tom Hall, a World War I Medal of Honor recipient and Fort Mill native for whom Tom Hall Street, a main thoroughfare, is named.
No. 5: Martin Dickey and John Pruitt
FORT MILL Fort Mill’s marching bands brought home the hardware in many state and regional competitions and capped off the marching season with a big parade and a big announcement.
Nation Ford High School’s Marching Band, under the direction of Martin Dickey, captured the South Carolina State Marching Band title in Class 4A this year.
The win would only be topped by the huge performance that loomed afterwards – marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In front of millions of people on the streets of New York City and more than 50 million people watching on TV, the band marched in the three-mile parade and performed a Carolina song medley on the Macy’s stage in Herald Square.
The Fort Mill High School marching band, under the direction of John Pruitt, came in second at the State competition. Their marching season boasted a huge win at the Bands of America Regional Championship in Akron, Ohio, where they won the band’s first-ever BOA title.
With an impressive season under their belts, the Fort Mill marching band celebrated with a big announcement. The band has been invited to perform in Dublin, Ireland, at the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
No. 6: Lindsey Hawkins
FORT MILL Fort Mill High swim team coach Lindsey Hawkins pulled off something this year that in high school sports is extremely hard to do – win back-to-back state championships.
Hawkins and Fort Mill captured the 3A state boys swimming championship in October for the second straight year and it was the school’s fourth swim title since 2005.
In doing so, Hawkins became the first female coach ever at the high school to accomplish the feat. She joined boys tennis coach Willie Ware as the only two coaches at the school to ring up consecutive championships. Ware actually won five state tennis titles in a row from 1995-99.
However, what makes Hawkins’ accomplishment even more special is probably how she did it, by guiding her boys team, with the help of assistant coach Cindy Van Buskirk, to a second consecutive season without a loss.
This past season the boys squad went undefeated in nine meets and beat more than 50 different opponents. During that time she guided her boys squad to three state relay titles and an individual title in the 200-yard individual medley. For the girl’s team, she has helped to push them to two state relay titles and a runner-up finish in the state championship.
No. 7: Michael Allen
Nation Ford head football coach Michael Allen helped to turn a team a football team around that many thought was struggling.
Allen coached the Falcons to their first ever region win, as well as the first playoff berth and playoff win in school history.Many people were not sure what to expect with Allen taken over the helm at Nation Ford, but fans were hoping for the best as the second generation football coach took the field.
Allen didn’t disappoint in his rookie season as a head coach.
Not only did he guide the team to the playoffs, but they finished with a .500 or above record for the first time as well.
Nation Ford got two region wins against Fairfield Central and Chester, both in dramatic fashion in front of a home crowd. The win against Chester all but helped clinch the school’s first playoff berth.
But things didn’t stop there. Allen wasn’t just satisfied in making the playoffs. His team then traveled to Clinton High School, where they shocked a seasoned Red Devils team for their first postseason win ever. Allen said shortly after the win that his team didn’t just come to make an appearance, but came to win.
With Allen at the helm in the foreseeable future, Nation Ford plans on doing just that.
No. 8: Heather McDonnell
FORT MILL TOWNSHIP She really knows how to light up a TV screen – even if the light is from a kitchen fire. Heather McDonnell, owner of Cupcrazed Cupcake Bar in Baxter Village, along with sister-in-law Debbie McDonnell, took on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars – and won. The duo were challenged to make Southern-themed cupcakes.
A kitchen mishap during round one of the competition made things interesting, but the Cupcrazed team carried on with Southern grace. They nabbed the top prize of $10,000, which they used to buy a commercial mixer.
The mishap ¬– a kitchen fire – could have been costly. Host Justin Willman called it “one of the biggest accidents ever” on the show.
In round one of competition the bakers had to incorporate unique ingredients into their cupcake creations, including their choice of barbeque, fried chicken with mashed potatoes or gumbo.
“We’re choosing gumbo because it will be the most difficult. We didn’t come here to lose,” Heather McDonnell said. “Go big or go home,” she added.
The cupcake incorporated gumbo, corn and a savory frosting that was intended to have a fried okra topping. But in the heat of the competition – contestants only had 45 minutes to complete their cupcake – the okra burned and caught on fire. The fire spread when Debbie McDonnell attempted to douse it with water, but Food Network officials put out the fire and the competition continued.
It was a heated moment and resulted in frazzled nerves, but the pair made it through round one and into round two and eventually they prevailed. When judges announced the winner, the McDonnells couldn’t contain their excitement, knocking each other down while screaming and hugging.
No. 9: Mick Mulvaney
WASHINGTON Rep. Mick Mulvaney made the 2010 Fort Mill 11 after he unseated longtime Congressman John Spratt in the race to represent District 5. Mulvaney didn’t go to Washington with the seniority and clout Spratt gained over the decades, but it wouldn’t be long into his first term that his name was mentioned more than month in national news coverage.
Mulvaney gained a major legislative victory when the U.S. House passed his “cut, cap and balance” bill to reduce federal spending and compel passage of a constitutional amendment to balance the budget.
The House approved the Mulvaney measure largely along party lines by 234-190 vote, with all five House Republicans from South Carolina backing it and Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn opposing it. That vote was taken amidst a partisan fight on raising the government’s $14.3 trillion debt limit. That led to a short-term deal in which a “Super Committee” of six Democrats and six Republicans was appointed to negotiated a debt reduction solution both sides could agree on. That committee failed and drastic, across-the-board federal budget cuts were scheduled to kick in unless lawmakers come to a last-minute agreement before the year ends.
Mulvaney, an Indian Land Republican, was one of three co-authors of the House bill calling for steep spending cuts and a balanced-budget amendment in order to raise the debt ceiling. The legislation would impose $111 billion in spending cuts next year, cap federal outlays at 19.9 percent of GDP in a decade and require Congress to pass a balanced-budget amendment.
Mulvaney’s bill didn’t make it through the Democrat-controlled Senate.
No. 10 Eddie Zimmerman (Eddie Zee) FORT MILL TOWNSHIP Sometimes, Goliath wins.
That was the case here in 2011, when a Fort Mill business caught the eye of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. Eddie Zimmerman, owner of Playroom Academy of Music in Baxter Village, received a cease and desist letter from the Hall of Fame soon after applying for a federal trademark for the businesses’ Tots Rock program.
The Hall of Fame said that Tots Rock is too similar to Toddlers Rock, the name of a Hall of Fame program.
Zimmerman first had an inkling of trouble when he applied for a federal trademark. Despite those concerns, Zimmerman took the next step to defend his rights to the Tots Rock name he claims is original.
“It’s the right thing to do. It was important to me to stand up and show the people in my life, in this community, that even though it’s a long shot, I have to stand up for what I believe in. I think they’re wrong,” Zimmerman said.
Tots Rock is the name of the Playroom’s children’s rock music program aimed at teaching the fundamentals of music while having fun. Parents and their children play games, sing rock and pop songs and play instruments as a way of putting a modern spin on the traditional children’s music program. It was renamed to “Tots in Tune,” but Zimmerman said he hoped only temporarily, until he wins the dispute between the Playroom and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Zimmerman, through his lawyer, sent several letters to the Hall of Fame pointing out the absurdity of comparing a program in Fort Mill to one based in Cleveland. But to no avail. The Hall of Fame insisted he stop using the name and Zimmerman, already out about $3,000 in legal expenses and without the financing to continue taking the fight to “Goliath,” changed the program name permanently to “Tots in Tune.”
No. 11: Mike Frost
TEGA CAY A native of this peninsula city, Mike Frost was tapped in March by the Tega Cay City Council to revive the city’s dormant food and beverage operations. The council unanimously approved the Frost Group to take over food service at the Tega Cay Golf Club restaurant and lounge as well as special event dining for the pavilion and Glennon Center.
A few months after taking the job, Frost opened Casual Water at Tega Cay, a fine dining restaurant overlooking the golf course that serves steak, seafood and sushi, in addition to other dishes.
Frost and his company also operates The Drop & Drink bar.